Napoleon’s Marshals

Osprey Men-At-Arms Series 87

Much has been made of Napoleon’s Marshals’ personal rivalries, jealousies, greed and lust for power. They had every soldier’s vices and virtues; they were glory-seeking, self-aggrandising and envious of social status. Napoleon’s method of command was such that he expected his marshals to obey, not initiate; and he slowly set out to ensure that his senior officers became merely blind agents who executed his orders without hesitation, discussion or personal opinion. Emir Bukhari presents an account of these soldiers who, whilst far from brilliant strategists, nevertheless performed a vital role and were exceptional leaders of men.

Soult with a Captain ADC and Adjudant-Commandant at Corunna, January 1809

Masséna with a captain Ingénieurs géographes and his son and ADC, Count Prosper d’Essling before the Lines of Torres Vedras, autumn 1810

Lannes with his escort commander, officer of the 1st Light Horse Lancers of the Vistula Legion, and a lieutenant of the 1st Infantry of the Vistula Legion before Saragossa, 1809

Suchet with a trumpeter of the 13th Cuirassier Regiment and his ADC at Sagunto, 25 October 1811

Davout with Emperor Napoleon at Borodino, 6 September 1812

Berthier with an ADC and Adjudant-Commandant, 1812–13

Ney, a fusilier of the 95th regiment, and a trooper of the 1st Cuirassier Regiment at Waterloo, 18 June 1815

Wargamers will find Emir Bukhari’s description of the uniforms of the French Napoleonic Marshals very helpful in creating colourful corps command stands for their French army. The colour illustrations of aides de camp in their extravagant uniforms are particularly useful.